Weekly Assignment #79: Groundhog
Nikolai
Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
Our next assignment is simple: you need to get as close to the ground as possible. This technique is very useful when you want to bring some novelty and dynamism to an otherwise dull scene. It is usually combined with the usage of a very wide-angle (and maybe even Tilt) lens.
One thing to watch for is a keystoning effect. The slightest skew will make the vertical lines converging (or diverging). Sometimes it can be put to a good use intentionally, but often it looks bad. A bubble level usage is highly recommended. And if you decide to go for keystoning - make it bold!
Another common technique (especially when keeping keystoning at bay) is to use only a (upper) half of the frame, since the other half is often not very interesting.
One of the typical obstacles is framing. LiveView is a life-saver, so is AngleFinder and ZigView.
Requirements:
One thing to watch for is a keystoning effect. The slightest skew will make the vertical lines converging (or diverging). Sometimes it can be put to a good use intentionally, but often it looks bad. A bubble level usage is highly recommended. And if you decide to go for keystoning - make it bold!
Another common technique (especially when keeping keystoning at bay) is to use only a (upper) half of the frame, since the other half is often not very interesting.
One of the typical obstacles is framing. LiveView is a life-saver, so is AngleFinder and ZigView.
Requirements:
- Fresh pictures, as always
- Your camera shall not be higher than just a few inches from the ground
- Moderate post-processing OK
- Each entry shall include:
- an image of your subject taken from the conventional point of view
- a setup picture showing you/your camera/.. in the shooting position (you may need to use your camera phone or P&S for this)
- final image (or two if you decide to go for both keystoned and non-keystoned images)
- minimal exif info (gear, iso, aperture, etc.) - Multiple entries are OK provided they cover different subjects or different conditions (e.g. day vs night)
"May the f/stop be with you!"
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Comments
I had the shot for this yesterday and I never took it!!
Decided I could not put up with dear son moaning any longer!!
Tim
They are taking over my backyard! Its not easy to get down this low! Or to get back up for all that matters....lol.
Taken with Nikon D300
5/27/08 11:20am
sspeed 1/2000
f/stop 7.1
iso 400
focal length 18mm
same as above with the following exceptions...
ss 1/6400 f/5.6 FL 55mm
I just realized I do not have a pic of me taking a pic. This was an uncomfortable position for me to do as I have a disability and its a one time thing with me. Hope thats ok.
Here is the set up although the camera shown is my lil daughters camera but its broken so was unable to show how my D300 was angled. I put the camera on the concrete then angled upward for the shot of the single flower...on the multable one I did not angle but shot straight on.
Jag, did you get a "conventional vantage point" picture?
Standing
Setup
NIKON D80 1/50 f/13 ISO 100 40mm
I probably would not have ever taken the shot standing, but I am not sure I would have thought to get quite this low without the assignment. I am glad I did because I really like how it came out.
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Sean, great entry, thanks!
Where was this?
It is a neighborhood near where I live called Independence.
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1. On his level...
2. From standing position...
I do not have an image of the setup, but it was just my 5D and Canon 50 1.4 or Canon 85 1.8 with 580 EX.
Here is one more of our cute lil doggie. Sorry,
My Gear
These are nice pictures, but they are not exactly what was requested.
The assignment was to get LOW, not to get leveled
My Gear
Ok I have added a mock set up view to the original post.
In addition to being a paid photographer I run the largest party barge on Lake Travis...yes the same lake that Cedric Benson got busted on a couple weeks ago.
So I packed my Sigma 8mm in my gear bag today and shot low. It is cropped from the original.
Here it is:
The set up is basically my D300 flat on the deck in the same position as the soda can using the same rig:
I took a snap of the setup with my phone, but haven't been able to get the image off my phone yet (it's new, i'm confused). Used a Lumix LX2 camera on the ground with a small rock under the lens to prop the camera up at a slight angle.
Also, I can't upload to smugmug from work so I have to do my shots by embeding them in the post. Hope that's OK.
This is the second one, which i think is more what you were looking for?
I looked and looked for a suitable subject for this assignment. I finally found this one at the Getty Center. I risked life and lens to get it.
And here's the set-up shot. There's one thing different from my actual set-up, though: The camera I used to take the second picture was actually propping up the lens to take the first picture.
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"If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
"Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
Good one, Lee!
Yayy!
What amazes me about this picture, Nikolai, is that that I got the it with no one in it. Not even a reflection!
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"If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
"Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
So true!